Hot Air Re-work Station Recommendations?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Hot Air Re-work Station Recommendations?

dgashby

71 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#243548 17-Dec-2018 22:09

Hi,

I'm just about to try my first circuit (a Raspberry Pi HAT) that uses SMDs. Can anyone recommend a good workstation or provide advice on what to look out for? There are hundreds of options available both local and online from Jaycar, Element14, AliExpress, Wish.

Thanks,

Dean

Ge0rge

2114 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2060

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2146743 17-Dec-2018 23:08

We use Pace gear at work - expensive, but you won't get anything better.

elpenguino

3576 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2938

#2146746 17-Dec-2018 23:20

What's your previous soldering experience? If you're a noob and dropping straight into SMD work TBH you're gonna have a hard time.

I'm assuming you're having a fiddle at home and not doing a production run.

The hobbyist can work with a heat gun or less preferably a gas soldering iron - but only if you know what you're expecting to happen and when.

I suggest you grab some solder, flux, solder wick, solder paste, tweezers and grab a broken tv or other modern product. Have a go at removing components (start with those with fewer legs) clean up the PCB and try put the component back on. Repeat until you can make a nice job of it.

Smaller SMDs like Rs and Cs can be soldered on with a normal soldering iron - main problem is seeing enough detail - grab some magnification goggles of some kind, or for the very small components, a microscope.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2147184 18-Dec-2018 15:15

elpenguino:
What's your previous soldering experience? If you're a noob and dropping straight into SMD work TBH you're gonna have a hard time.

+1. You can get SMD training kits, just fixed PCBs and components, that you can use to practice on (OK, you can also buy a cheap kit from China and use that as a guinea pig, but these are specifically done as a self-practice course where you can learn SMD work). Google "SMD practice board", e.g. this.

wratterus

1687 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 678

#2147189 18-Dec-2018 15:19

https://www.rossmanngroup.com/buy-hot-air-station-laptop-cellphone-repair/

Some good advice there.

dgashby

71 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 12

#2147263 18-Dec-2018 18:41

Thanks for the great suggestions. I'm reasonably experienced with a soldering iron and can do a pretty clean job with through hole components.

I've got a couple of old printers floating around that have been partially pulled to bits for stepper motors and other interesting bits, experimenting with the PCBs from those is a great idea. I've already got a third hand with illuminated magnifier but I was considering upgrading to something with greater magnification, along with a pair of fine tweezers.

The Rossmann article is also full of good points.

JaseNZ

2576 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1489

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2147295 18-Dec-2018 18:52

I use one of these microscopes for working on smd's so easy to just work the the monitor. The price is good and so is the unit.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/new-2016-Andonstar-HDMI-microscope-long-object-distance-free-shipping/32614040444.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dhen3kz

And I use one of these as my hot air station

https://nz.element14.com/hakko/fr810b/digital-hot-air-station-50-600deg/dp/2455864

I have no problems recommending both they have worked well for me.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding : Ice cream man , Ice cream man

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2147317 18-Dec-2018 19:49

Mspec:
And I use one of these as my hot air station

https://nz.element14.com/hakko/fr810b/digital-hot-air-station-50-600deg/dp/2455864

Hmm, you probably don't want to read the Rossman article then :-).

JaseNZ

2576 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1489

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2147354 18-Dec-2018 20:26

Had no problems with mine does what I need it to do.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding : Ice cream man , Ice cream man